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Isolated flood families to get food, meds

Flood boats and helicopters may deliver vital supplies to communities cut off by flooding in NSW's north as more than 1000 evacuees await the go-ahead to return to their homes.

NSW State Emergency Service (SES) spokesman Phil Campbell says the service has received 4000 calls for help since ex-tropical cyclone Oswald brought storms and flooding to the region.

Grafton, on the Clarence River, narrowly escaped inundation when floodwaters peaked just below the city's levee on Tuesday and Maclean, downriver, also escaped going underwater on Tuesday night.

Mr Campbell told AAP on Wednesday that rescues of people trapped in vehicles in floodwaters had decreased but essential supplies were running low and at least eight people had to be rescued for medical reasons.

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"Supermarket supplies in those places can usually last three days but things like milk and bread run out fast," he said.

Helicopters and boats would be ready on Thursday to deliver food, medicine and baby formula to the 25,700 people still isolated by floodwaters, Mr Campbell said.

About 1070 people who evacuated had still not been given the all-clear to return to their homes on Wednesday evening.

"As soon as we can get them back in, we'll do so," Mr Campbell said.

"It won't be today, it may be tomorrow, but remember this is the biggest flood ever for the Clarence River."

About 750 people evacuated from Maclean on Tuesday night were able to return on Wednesday morning.

Sam Colwell, from the Clarence-Nambucca SES branch, said while the Clarence River had dropped from Tuesday's record levels, Yamba and Iluka at the river's mouth were likely to be cut off for at least two more days.

"We're still operational, keeping an eye out for people in trouble, or who didn't evacuate," Ms Colwell said.

Essential Energy said 5800 homes and businesses would spend Wednesday night in the dark.

Meanwhile, farmers across the region were assessing the damage on Wednesday and attending to stock.

Dairy farmers Kath and Gavin Robb were unable to milk their cows for nearly two days, after a power pole snapped outside their dairy on Sunday night.

Mrs Robb said a former farmer had offered a generator which meant they could start milking at midday on Tuesday but the cows had already gone into "shutdown mode" and the quality of their milk had been affected.

"It will be a month until we're back into any sort of normal situation," she said.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the lower Richmond River at Woodburn peaked at 3.7 metres on Wednesday afternoon and minor flooding was current.

Minor flooding was also being experienced along the Wilsons River at Lismore, and major flooding remained along parts of the Clarence River but had eased at Grafton and Ulmarra.

At Maitland, minor to moderate flooding was expected overnight.

Acting NSW Police Commissioner Nick Kaldas said police were being "very active" in flood-affected areas to prevent looting or stealing.

He was not aware of alleged thefts in Queensland "but certainly that's not our experience in NSW".

"By any measure, the efforts of all the agencies, working very much hand in glove, have to be applauded on this occasion," he said.